Startled by kerfuffle, Maker’s Mark restores alcohol to whiskey

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — After backlash from customers, the producer of Maker’s Mark bourbon is reversing a decision to cut the amount of alcohol in bottles of its famous whiskey.

The company’s chief operating officer said Sunday that it is restoring the alcohol volume of its product to its historic level of 45 percent, or 90 proof. Last week, it said it was lowering the amount to 42 percent, or 84 proof, because of a supply shortage.

The brand known for its square bottles sealed in red wax has struggled to keep up with demand. Distribution has been squeezed, and the brand had to curtail shipments to some overseas markets.

In a tweet Sunday, the company said to its followers: “You spoke. We listened.

The cynical side of me has to believe that this was simply a marketing stunt – if no one raised a fuss they would have found an easy way to cut costs and increase margin, if their customer base objected they could back out and say “we listened” and keep doing what they were doing all along and at the same time generate some buzz and free media coverage for the brand.

It is all the more amusing to me, considering I specifically bought a lower proof bottle of rye this weekend because I didn’t want the higher alcohol content.

I didn’t quite get what all the fuss was about in the first place. I find it hard to believe anyone would be able to tell the difference in a blind taste test. Hope nobody complains when the price goes up or the product is limited in supply.

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